Reading List: The Best Reporting on Trump University

Trump University promised to help students get rich. Enrollees would study the wisdom of The Donald and get mentoring from other terrific businesspeople. But a class-action suit by former students and a suit brought by the New York attorney general allege that the unaccredited “school” mainly helped students part with the money in their wallets. (Donald Trump has called the suits a “scam” and “thug politics.”)

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“Trump Spins in Foreclosure Game,” the Los Angeles Times, December 2007As subprime mortgages were skyrocketing in 2007, columnist David Lazarus noticed a Trump University advertisement promising to teach students how to make “millions in foreclosures.” So Lazarus went to class. The instructor had never bought a house in California, had been through bankruptcy, and had gone through foreclosure with his own home. After the column ran, Trump told Lazarus it was “inaccurate and libelous.” When Lazarus asked what the problem was, Trump said, “You’ll find out in court.” Trump never sued. But he did submit a letter to the editor, which he demanded that the paper run in extra-large print.

“Trump U. Hit by Complaints From Those Who Paid Up to 30G, and Say They Got Very Little in Return,” the New York Daily News, May 2010By 2010, 150 people had filed complaints with 22 states about Trump University, the New York Daily News found. The school had just received a D rating from the Better Business Bureau. One former student in California complained she paid $80,000 for access to mentors who didn’t call her back. Another student, a New York City schoolteacher, said she lost her savings, maxed out her credit cards, and had nothing to show for it.

“Trump University Hired Motivational Speakers and a Felon as Faculty,” the Daily Beast, March 2016One Trump University instructor liked to tell students his “rags-to-riches” story: He was homeless in a subway at 19, where he met someone who taught him about real estate and became a top broker. He left out a few details though: He threatened to kill his ex-wife and was convicted for aggravated assault. Trump once said he “hand-picked” the instructors and then changed his tune to say he doesn’t remember the employees.

“At Trump University, Students Recall Pressure to Give Positive Reviews,” the New York Times, March 2016Trump likes to tout the 98 percent approval rating Trump University received from its students. But the surveys, according to legal documents and interviews with former staff and students, weren’t anonymous and were submitted to instructors in exchange for graduation certificates. One instructor said he asked students to fill out the survey in front of him. A former student said he was pressured by his mentor to give the mentor top ratings. (Trump has not backed down on the number. See his website: 98percentapproval.com.)

“Trump University and the Art of the Get-Rich Seminar,” Ars Technica, April 2016Before Trump University there was Trump Institute. And before Trump Institute there was the National Grants Conference, a seminar founded by Mike and Irene Milin that claimed it could teach students how to get government grants — for memberships at only $999. None of the NGC members got money, but NGC raked in millions from students. In 2006, Trump licensed his name to the Milins to create the Trump Institute. Trump Institute kept much of NGC’s old materials but promised to share the billionaire secrets. But the NGC soon fell into legal trouble in multiple states, and Trump didn’t renew the license with them in 2009. By that time, Trump University was well established, but still using the same tactics the Milins started at the National Grants Conference.

“Trump Involved in Crafting Controversial Trump University Ads, Executive Testified,” the Washington Post, May 2016Donald Trump personally vetted ads and shaped the promotion of Trump University — contrary to what his lawyers had implied — according to the 2012 deposition of Trump University’s president. The deposition, part of a class-action lawsuit brought by former students, was released along with other trial records in response to a request from the Washington Post. Another document showed that a portion of Trump University speaker fees were directly tied to how many students the speaker could get to sign up for more seminars.

“Florida AG Asked Trump for Donation Before Nixing Fraud Case,” The Associated Press, June 2016In September 2013, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that she was considering New York’s investigation of Trump University. Four days later, a group supporting Bondi’s re-election got a $25,000 donation from a Trump family foundation. Bondi had personally solicited the donation. After the check came in, Bondi’s office announced that it would not join the investigation. Bondi has since endorsed Trump for president. Bondi declined to comment.

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This story originally appeared on ProPublica as “The Absolute Best, Most Terrific Reporting on Trump University” and is re-published here under a Creative Commons license.

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